


twilight hour

by haatomune



Category: Howl Series - Diana Wynne Jones, Howl's Moving Castle - All Media Types
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-08
Updated: 2018-08-08
Packaged: 2019-06-23 16:06:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,391
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15609960
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/haatomune/pseuds/haatomune
Summary: Howl was a wizard, a slitherer-outer, but most importantly, he was the master of this Castle, and Calcifer should, theoretically, only listen to him.[Book-based with vague movie influences.]





	twilight hour

“Calcifer.”

The fire demon stirred in the hearth, still mostly hidden by the logs Sophie left out for him before she settled into her little cubby hole under the stairs.  Michael too, had retired to his room not long after that, mumbling about how impossible it was to puzzle out the spell Howl left for him.  Calcifer had, at one point, come close to pitying him and almost gave him a hint – the boy was on the entirely wrong track and why did he even think Sophie would be able to solve it when she didn’t even realize she had magical powers?  But it was only a fleeting thought, the tiniest smidgeon, since he was an absolute wicked demon who answered to no virtuous human emotions, least of all _pity_ – and certainly it was not because of Michael’s slip of hand earlier in the week with a bucket of water too close to the fireplace for comfort.

And Howl, of course, had been conspicuously missing on most days, going as far as dressed to the nines and ready to leave before noon, absent for dinner that Sophie prepared with no less huffing and puffing (not that Calcifer could blame her, nor would he complain, since he would get all the leftovers), and now the new trend was to return past everyone’s bedtime.  For someone who cared so much for physical appearances and so wrapped up in himself, the regular notion of beauty sleep certainly didn’t seem to apply to him.  (Of course not, there was no need when he was a wizard.  What _couldn’t_ a bit of magic and some potions do?)

“Wake up, old blueface.  I’ve got a bone to pick with you.”

“Howl...it’s pitch black out there.  I’d wager this isn’t the right time.”

“No, but it’s the _only_ time when I can speak with you without being interrupted or overheard.”  Calcifer blinked in surprise at the need for privacy, just in time to see Howl wave his hand vaguely in Sophie’s direction.  He caught a whiff of magic.

“I haven’t done anything to deserve being woken up at this hour for non-emergencies,” Calcifer groused.  The only thing that counted was if the Witch of the Waste was closing in.  This clearly was not it.  “Maybe if you’re not out the entire day you’ll see that there _are_ times you can do what you’re doing now.  If you’re going to do a soundproofing spell anyway then it doesn’t matter what time you do it at, does it?”

“Just another layer for safety.  Can’t hurt.”

“Coward,” Calcifer muttered.

“Listen, whose side are you on anyway?” Howl flopped onto the chair in front of him unceremoniously, exhausted but determined to get this conversation out of the way.  “Last I checked, _I_ was the one who gave life to you.”

“That I didn’t ask for.”

Howl bristled.  “Please, you were afraid of dying more than the other stars!”

“Still didn’t ask you to do it.”

“You didn’t disagree.  Need I point out that _you_ came up with a contract on the spot?”

“Which _you_ didn’t have to agree to,” Calcifer shot back.  This was a ridiculous argument.  Why did Howl bring this up now?  Was he regretting amplifying his magic with a demon’s power?  Calcifer shuddered at the thought, unnoticed by the wizard; it was true that the idea of being extinguished upon hitting the ground terrified him at the time, but Calcifer certainly hadn’t regretted any of his decisions (except for the times when he had to deal with slimy Howl, or the Aunts, or the dripping – _especially_ the dripping, since he never signed up for that).

Or maybe, it was like what Sophie had complained of the other day.  She had been recounting bits and pieces of her life to him when she was on break from the flower store.  The latest tale was about school, an establishment where humans around the same age clustered in a room and listened to someone called teacher ( _what a funny name that was_ ) lecture them.  Apparently her teacher was right in that boys matured later than girls.  Never mind that Howl wasn’t even grown up enough before he gave Calcifer his heart.  He may look like a respectable adult if he kept his mouth shut, but he really was just a _child_.

Howl exhaled noisily through his mouth, long suffering and dramatic as always.  Calcifer rolled his eyes; he was more than used to his theatrics and Howl should know by now it would only exasperate him instead of garnering a reaction like he could from Michael.  _Though it wouldn’t be Howl if not over the top._

“The fact remains,” he sighed again, “that as we are bound and I am the master of this castle.  You should listen to _me_.”

Calcifer stretched up so he was at eye level with Howl. 

“First you don’t tell me that Sophie’s under the Witch of the Waste’s spell, then you don’t mention Percival is in the same boat, which,” Howl held up his hand at Calcifer’s flaring tips, “maybe I should’ve noticed it myself earlier, but as you _also_ know I was otherwise preoccupied with said witch and her nasty fire demon, so that’s not the entire reason why I need to have this talk with you.”

Calcifer fixed him with a Look.

“I’ve been wondering since Sophie’s stepped foot in here, actually – why is it that you obey her commands as you do mine?  It’s not like you listen to Michael.  Her magical abilities aside, no matter how persuasive, you should at least see if I’ve approved of whatever fantastical idea she is capable of coming up with.”

“You mean the cleaning and your little hair disaster.”

“The cleaning,” Howl concurred, ignoring the second half of Calcifer’s accusation, “the cooking, the laundry, and keeping secrets.  You two have been talking while Michael minds the shop in the mornings.  Don’t think I don’t know that.  Now, Calcifer, I would appreciate it if we keep things open around here.”

His smile looked pleasant enough, but Calcifer knew it was anything but.  “We could say the same for you.”

“You know what I’m doing every time I set foot out of this door.”

“Not Sophie.  She doesn’t.”

“Sophie doesn’t need to know.  I need you to keep her here, out of trouble.  That woman doesn’t know how to spell ‘stay’ even if it _was_ spelled out in front of her.  And there you go again, taking her side!”

“Howl.”  Now it was Calcifer’s turn to sigh.  “You’re not being rational.  This isn’t about taking sides.  Sure, I let Sophie use me to cook, and we talk, but what did you expect?  Us to remain complete strangers?  She’s been here for _months_ , Howl.  I see Sophie more than you.  Seems pretty logical that we would spend more time and _get to actually know each other_.  Plus,” he added thoughtfully, to Howl’s bewilderment, “ _I_ think whatever Sophie’s doing has your best interests at heart, despite what it may seem to you.”

Howl’s mouth opened and closed like a goldfish.  It was almost like someone charmed him mute.

 “If you still have any misgivings, you can ask your heart.  It’s not leaving here any time soon.”

“Am I hearing this correctly?  You, a mighty fire demon, are influenced by a silly organ?”

The flames flickered, as if Calcifer was shrugging.  “At least your heart doesn’t lie.”

Howl made a face.

“The truth usually isn’t very nice to hear,” Calcifer said, a little smug now that he had managed to render Howl speechless without a good comeback.  “Now, if you’re quite finished...” His form seemed to deflate as he ended the conversation on his own terms.

He heard Howl stomp upstairs.  For the rest of the night, the castle was filled with ominous murmurs and creaking.  Thankfully, the soundproofing spell still wrapped Sophie up in a bubble, where she remained blissfully unaware of all the noise, sparing Calcifer any questions.

 _Serves Howl right for being so unsettled.  After all, it’s not something he’s experienced before._   Calcifer cackled to himself quietly, nesting between the logs.  _Though if he ever heard me say that, he’d say Sophie’s rubbing off on me.  Not a bad thing, not a bad thing at all...in fact, that’d do him some good in the long run._

**Author's Note:**

> Not sure how I got so back deep into Howl's Moving Castle to the point I needed to get this out of my system, but some things just won't leave me alone. I'm still not wholly satisfied with the dialogue because I can't seem to get a similar tone and charm to Ms. Jones...nnngh.


End file.
